Refrigerator door



April 25, 1939. w. w. CARROLL REFRIGERATOR DOOR Filed Nov. 26, 1957 af/"Of/ BY w MQW ATTORNEYS .......llll'l'lll hama Apr. 2s, 1,939

UNITED sTArEs PATENT oFFicE This invention relates frigerator doors. n

The main objects of my invention are:

to improvements in re- `First, to provide a novel and improved structure combining a,- refrigerator door and a compartrnent or pan pivotally mounted thereon and adapted to prevent dehydration of fruits or vegetables stored therein. l

Second, to provide a refrigerator door having hydrating means associated therewith whereby to conserve the space in a. refrigerator normally occupied by yconventional hydrating boxes and the like.

Third, to provide an insulated doorv having the insulated portion thereof partially removed to provide room for a hydrator pan, said hydratorv pan providing a dead .air spaceto performfthe insulating function of theinsulating material removed f rom the door.

Fourth, to provide a-refrigeratordoor having hydrating means associated therewith which is readily accessibleand easily manipulated to expose thercontents thereof.

Fifth, to provide a hydrator for use in combination with a refrigerator door, the said hydrator being open sided in nature and being closedby the door itself or a part of the refrigerator when inoperative position to completely shield the contents thereof from the air circulation within the refrigerator.

Sixth, to provide a hydrating pan or element adapted for use in combination with a door and being self-closing in operative closed position, whereby to shield the contents thereof from air circulation in theA refrigerator.

Further objects relating to details and economies of my invention will definitely appear from the descriptionrto follow. 'I'he invention is defined in the claims.

A structure embodying the features of my invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a view in vertical section through a refrigerator door embodying the hydrating pan or element of my invention.

Fig. 2 is a, fragmentary inside perspective viewwith the hydrator in closed position. l

' Fig. `3 is an enlarged fragmentary detail view in ihorizontal section illustrating the mounting of the hydrating element on a refrigerator d'oor. Eig. 4 is a rfragmentary viewin vertical section similar to Fig. 1 with the hydrating pan or-ele ment removed, illustrating a preferred formof pivotal mounting therefor.

Figs. 5, 6, and 7 are fragmentary views in f tion having insulating material! therein and inverncal section illustrating modified embodiments of myinvention.

In present day refrigerators an objection is usually present in the fact that due to the circulation of refrigerated air inside the box of 5 I the refrigerator vegetables', fruits and the like which areexposed tothe currents of air are lrapidly dehydrated and accordingly deteriorated. This eiiectv is common and well known to any housewife. To combat the same, the expedient has been adoptedl of furnishing each refrigerator with a separate covered box adapted to contain articles `which are deteriorated by the dehydration eiiect mentioned, the said boxes being placed on the shelves and removed as desired.

These `boxes are quite unsatisfactory. A certain amount of dehydration occurs even when they are used, due to air circulation therein, and in addition they are open to the further impor- 20 tant objection that they occupya large amount oi. space inside the refrigerator whether they are full or empty. Moreover, they are bulky and difficult to lhandle inasmuch'as they must be entirely withdrawn from the refrigerator, placed on a supporting surface while lthe top is removed, then replaced, the operation requiring the use of both hands and consuming a considerable length of time.

It is the purpose of the present invention to 30 entirely eliminate the objections characterizing such individual boxes or receptacles and to `secure all the benets thereof. In general, my invention consists of a pan or container hinged to a refrigerator door, the latter having a certain amount of the insulating material normally found therein removed to provide a recess to accommodate the pan or hydrator element. 'I'his in no way detracts from the insulating -properties of the door inasmuch as a dead air space is furnished by the receptacle which is fully effective for the purpose of quite uniformly insulating the door; at the same time the resultant structure projects very little beyond the normal inner surface of the door and, moreover, is easily and quickly manipulatedto remove articles therefrom. I

Referring to the drawing, reference numeral I indicates a refrigerator door of usual construccluding metal inner and outer shells 3, 4.

Inthe case of the present invention, the inner shell 3 is formed to provide a recess 5 of substantial size, the insulating material normally in that space being removed and a suitable filler 5s convenient one inasmuch member 6, preferably non-metallic, being `employed to stiffen and strengthen the door.

As illustrated, the said' recess 5 is formed adjacent the lower edge of the door, in fact, imme- At oppositesides of the recess 5 I provide hinge or pivot plates 8, each having an angled slot 9 thereon, said slot being provided with an enlarged inner end I to receive oppositely disposed pintles II on the pan or hydrator element I2. The removable pivot means enables the pan yto be withdrawn from the door for cleaning when desired. This pan is shaped in general to. correspondto the shape of recess and is mounted therein by the pintles II as-described, for free pivotal movement outwardly as indicated in dotted linesin Fig. 1. The pan has an open side whichis completely closed by the door in cperative position of the pan. If desired, the lip I3 of the pan may be bent upon itself to provide an enlarged lug 'engageable -behind a suitable spring detent Il secured to the door, said lug and detent frictionally retaining' the pan 'in closed position. However, if desired, such locking means may be omitted and the mere frictional `engagement of the pan with the recess be relied on to retain the former in closed position. A-

handle I5 is provided to facilitate manipulation thereof.

From an inspection of Fig. 1, it will be seen that the fitting of the pan in the recess is quite exact in order to prevent any unwanted circulation of-air within the hydrating element. To this end, the said element is provided with a substantial bottom I6 adapted to engage lower ledge I1 throughout a sunicient area to effect a good seal at this point.. Likewise, the spring detent Il urges the upper lip Il against the wall of the recess or other convenient part of the refrigerator to seal the element at this point. The result of these provisions is an effectively insulated volume largely within the normal outline of the door and only protruding slightly there-v from, the said volume being effectively insulated from air currents whereby to prevent dehydration of food products stored therein.

It will be apparent that if it is desired the rear vertically extending lip I8 may be increased or decreased in length as desired so 'as to properly restrain articles from falling from the hy` drator when 'it is tipped forwardly into position shown in dotted lines.

' In Fig. 5, I disclose a modified form of my invention wherein'the space or recess .5 for accommodating pan I2 is located at the bottom edge of the door, the pan itself being beveled at I9 so as to provide the usual seal against the breaker strip of the refrigerator. In this modification, the pivot point 20 is located adjacent the rear of the pan for obvious reasons. It will be noted that in closed position of door I the pan I2 will be continually urged shut. Accordingly, a spring detent Il acting in a somewhat less positive manner than in the modincation of Fig. 1, by pressing at right angles against the relatively elongated folded-over lip Il, may be employed.

In Fig. 6, I illustrate a further modified embodiment of my invention, wherein a door recess 5 similar to that illustrated in Fig. 1 is utilized,

modified by a forwardly extending recess 2I cut in lower ledge I1. ri'fhe pan pivot pintle 422 is arranged lower on the pan so that when the same is` swung open into lrecess 2|, as illustrated in dotted lines, the ledge I1 or recessed portion thereof provides a stop limiting further movement. vIn FigrG, the pan is likewise formed slightly differently to present a beveled edge 23 facilitating insertion of articles; accordingly the detent 2l is mounted slightly differently.

In Fig. '7, a stilll further modified form of my invention is illustrated, wherein a conventional hinge 25 is employed to pivotally mount the pan adjacent the edge of ledge I1, this hinge preferably permitting only rotation of the pan from operative closed position.

From the foregoing, it will be apparent thatI have' provided a hydrator pan and combination thereof with a refrigerator door which possesses distinct advantages'. The same consumes a ver! slight amount of the interior spaceof the refrigerator, is very effective in providing a dead air space insulating the door and preventing dehydration of fruits, vvegetables and the like therein, and it is readily and quickly manipulated without inconvenience Moreover, it is very attractive in appearance, readily installed in the .conventional refrigerator door and l'will enhance the appearance and sales appeal of thelsame.

I have illustrated and described my improvements in embodiments which are very practical. I-have not attempted to illustrate or describe other embodiments or adaptations as it is believed this disclosure will enable tho skilled in the art to embody or adapt my improvements as may be desired.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. I'n combination, a refrigerator door having insulation therein, said door being substantially recessed and a portion of the insulation being omitted at the recess to provide a` space adjacent the rear side thereof, a dehydration pre- Y venting pan for vegetables or the like pivotally mounted in said space, said pan having side walls and being open on one side whereby to provide an opening for inserting and removing articles when the pan is in open position, the pan engaging the door in closed position whereby to effectively close said opening against the doorand prevent circulation of refrigerator air currents in the pan, and resilient means for holding the pan in closed position.

2. In combination, a refrigerator door having insulation therein, said door being substantially recessed to provide a space adjacent the rear side thereof, and a dehydration preventing pan pivotally mounted in said space and swingable therefrom to substantially horizontal position, said pan having retaining walls and being open on one side whereby, to provide an opening for in-V serting and removing articles when the pan is in horizontal position, the open side of the pan engaging the door in closed position whereby to effectively close the same and prevent circulation of refrigerator air currents in the pan.

3. In combination, a refrigerator door having a substantial recess therein, :and a'dehydration preventing pan shaped to correspond to the shape of said recess and pivotally mounted therein, said pan having side walls and an open side adapted to be swung against the rear of said recess to effectively close the pan and prevent air circulation therein.

4. In combination, a refrigerator door having a substantial recess therein, a dehydration preventing pan shaped to correspond to the shape of said recess and pivotaily mounted therein, said pan having side retaining members and an open side adapted to be swung against one side of said recess to effectively close the pan and prevent air circulation therein, and means for yieldably holding the pan in closed position.

5. A refrigerator door having a dehydration preventing pan pivotaily mounted thereon, said door having a pair of elongated slots for pivotaliy mounting the pan, said pan having pintles thereon receivable in said slots and swinging thereon in a vertical plane from closed to open position and vice versa, said pan having an open side adapted to be brought adjacent the door in closed position and eiectively covered by said door in said position whereby to eliminate air circulation within the pan.

6. A refrigerator door having a dehydration preventing pan pivotaily mounted thereon, said lpan swinging in a vertical plane from closed to open position and vice versa, said pan having article retaining walls and an open side adapted to be brought adjacent the door in closed position and effectively covered by said door in said position whereby to eliminate air circulation within the pan.

7. A dehydration preventing element torrefrlgerators and the like, comprising a. pan adapted to be pivotaily mounted inan appropriate recess in the refrigerator, said pan being shaped to correspond to the shape of the recess and having an open side adapted to be eiiectively closed when the pan is in closed position in the recess, and means on theI pan for manipulating the same from open to closed position and vice versa.

8. 'Ihe combination of an insulated wall ele- 'ment comprising inner and outer walls and a ller of insulating material, the inner wall being conformed to provide a recess, and a. receptacle mounted to close into said recess and having retaining side walls of substantial height and an opening for the insertion and removal of articles closed when the receptacle is collapsed into the recess, the receptacle when closed constituting a complementary insulating element.

9. 'I'he combination of an insulatedv wall element conformed to provide a recess, and a receptacle mounted to close into said recess and having retaining side walls of substantial height and an opening for the insertion and removal of articles closed when the receptacle is collapsed into the recess, thereceptacle when closed constituting a complementary insulating element.

WILLARD W. CARROLL. 

